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Death Star Science: The Physics Of Destroying An Earth-Sized Planet

Posted by samzenpus on from the as-if-millions-of-voices-suddenly-cried-out-in-terror dept.

StartsWithABang writes: The ability to destroy an Alderaan-like (or, ahem, Earth-like) planet has long been the dream of slashdotters everywhere. But generating the power necessary to unbind a planet — some 2.24 x 10^32 Joules — is simply impossible on board an object only the size of a small moon. But if, instead, you could house a 1-2 trillion ton asteroid (about 5-7 km across) made of antimatter and deliver it to the planet's core, Einstein's E=mc^2 ensures that the planet will be destroyed in seconds.

4 of 173 comments (clear)

  1. Worst. Science. Writer. Ever. by PvtVoid · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Please stop, Ethan. You make me want to amputate my brain.

    1. Re:Worst. Science. Writer. Ever. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Please stop, Ethan. You make me want to amputate my brain.

      Then you too can be a Slashdot editor!

  2. Re:summar and article provably wrong by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 3, Insightful

    You don't have to transport the antimatter through the crust and mantle. You can just send it directly into the core via hyperspace.

  3. Why bother ... by PPH · · Score: 3, Insightful

    ... with the exact details? Just subcontract the Vogons to do the job.

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.